Workmen's advocate., 1887-01-15
A SOLID PLATFORM. WHY THE SOClALlSTlC LABOR
 PARTY EXISTS, What Capitalism Produces What So' cialists Propose - Perfect Co., OperatiOn-Abs0lute Con.
 tr0l by the People.
 Democracy.
PLATFORM OF THE SOClALlSTlC LABOR
 PARTY OF NORTH AMERICA.

PARTY OF NORTH AMERICA.
 Labor being the self-evident crea- tor of all wealth and civilization, 1t is but equitable that those who per form all labor and thus create all wealth should enjoy the product of their toll.
 But this is rendered impossible by the modern system of production, which, since the discovery of steam power and since the general lntro- duction of machines, is in all branch es of industry carried on with such gigantic means and appliances as but few are able to possess.
 The present industrial system IS cooperative in 0nerespect only, which is: That not, as in former times, the individual works alone and for his own account, but dozens, hun- dreds and thousands of men work together in shops, in mines, on huge farms and lands, cooperating ac- cording to the most efficient division of labor, while the fruits of this CO., operative labor are not reaped by the workers themselves, but are ln a great measure appropriated by the owners of the means of production.
 This system, by gradually extin- gushing the middle class of people necessarily separates society into two classes: The class of the wage workers and that of the great bosses.
 It brings forth as it's natural out growths:
 The planlessness and reckless rate of production.
 The waste of human and natural forces.
 The commercial and industrial crises.
 The constant uncertainty Of the
 material existence of the wage-work- CTS.
 The misery of the laboring mas
 ses.
 The accumulation of wealth ill the hands of few.
 , These conditions which under the present industrial system cannot but , become more and more aggravated, are inconsistent with the interests of mankind, and with the principles of
 justice and true democracy, as they , destroy those rights which the Dec , laration of Independence of the ] United States hold to be lnallenabIe
 in all men; the right to life, liberty 3 and the pursuit of happiness. These conditions shorten and i'm peril life by want and misery. They l destroy liberty because the economl- f cal subjection of the wage-workers - to the owners of the means of pro- duction leads immediately to their
 political dependence upon the same l sources, and finally frustrato the T pursuit of happiness, which Is never , possible when life and personal lib, Q erty are constantly endangered. E In order therefore to abolish these g humiliating conditions, we strive cc t introduce the pertect system of CO 0 operative production-that is. wo . demand that the workers obtain th' I undivided product of their toll.
 This being only feasible by secur
 ing to the workers control of th' a means of production, i. We demand:
 70 That the land, the instruments 0 e production (machines, factories 1. etc. ] and all the products of labo n become the common property of thu irr whole people; and, ,. That all production be organlze' ? comparatively, and be carried ol n under the direction of the common ! T. wealth; as also the cooperative dls i tribution of the products ill accord
 ance with the service rendered, an